Behind The Mask
by DarkBlossom14
Summary: Sasuke receives a mission to watch over 5 sisters. He never thought he'd fall for one. And he never thought he'd fall for a woman while never being allowed to remove his mask.
1. Chapter 1

Hello, I'm finally back with another Chapter story. Please enjoy.

Disclaimer: If only, if only…. all belongs to another.

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"That's so lame, man!"

"Stop shouting, idiot."

Dark eyes swept over the small Ramen shop, the few customers that were present had ignored the outburst made by the two men seated at the counter.

"Seriously, though, do you think that Tsunadae is punishing you for something?" Naruto Uzumaki asked as he finished up his third bowl of Ramen.

"Che. For what Dobe? This is a high paying mission." Sasuke Uchiha pushed his empty bowl aside.

"Well, who is going with on this royal babysitting job?" Naruto smirked when his best friend scowled.

"An Anbu team is being sent. The team includes Neji Hyuga and Shisui Uchiha" Sasuke stated.

"What! Your cousin gets to go! I haven't been on a mission in a month, he goes on missions like every week." Naruto crossed his arms.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. He was grateful for the mission, Naruto was right on missions being scares, but he wasn't overly pleased with his particular mission.

Tsunadae had called the younger Uchiha into her office three days ago to inform him that an extremely wealthy oil investor requested shinobi protection while a large deal was in transaction.

He had agreed quickly when she'd informed him of the pay and who his team would be. There had been a small stipulation, the one that Naruto was currently claiming to be 'lame'.

"Well I wouldn't want to go on a mission where I'd be stuck wearing a mask twenty-four seven."

"Hn." Sasuke agreed with Naruto on that. The Hokage had stopped Sasuke as he was leaving her office to relay the stipulation of always wearing a mask while he was there.

"It was his one request. He payed extra for you all to be, well, covered." Tsunadae rolled her eyes when she'd explained everything.

"Why exactly?"

The Hokage smirked. The young Uchiha did not like the glint in her eyes. "He is the proud, very protective father of five daughters."

Sasuke released a deep sigh. He had told himself that he was grateful for the mission countless times since he had left the office of the Hokage.

"You think they are hot?"

Sasuke was pulled from his thoughts, his dark eyes slid to Naruto. "Don't start." He hissed out.

Naruto threw his hands up in defense. "Woah man, didn't know that was such a touchy subject."

"Hn." Sasuke's shoulders slumped a fraction. Naruto waited patiently, he knew his long time best friend would talk when he was ready.

"When my parents found out about this mission, they began insisting nonstop that I find a damn bride amongst one of these daughters." Sasuke downed the last of his drink angrily.

"Well, it couldn't hurt."

Sasuke nearly choked. His best friend received his strongest glare.

"Don't get pissed. They just want you to be happy. I've been telling you for years to get a girlfriend. Look at me! I've been dating Hinata for three years. We have all been seeing someone. Except you."

Sasuke remained silent. He hated to admit it, but he envied his friends' happiness. He witnessed nearly every day his close friends and their significant others. Sasuke's older brother had even married last year. At 24 years old, Sasuke had certainly thought about marriage but no female had interested him enough to pursue.

"I doubt I'll find anyone worth marrying at a household full of spoiled rotten girls." Sasuke glanced at the file on the stool next to him.

"You never know, man. So, which rich family will you be babysitting anyways?" Naruto asked.

"The Haruno family."

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Thank you for reading Chapter One. Please let me know what you think.

-DarkBlossom


	2. Chapter 2

Hello, here is chapter 2. Enjoy!

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The Haruno house was something to behold. Pure white siding covered what looked like five stories. Balconies protruded from eight glass doors, which Sasuke disliked for protection reasons. But at least the house was well hidden by pine trees that had to be hundreds of years old.

The three Anbu stood silently at the end of a long walkway.

"Remember, the masks remain on. Always." Sasuke stated.

"Hai." Neji Huugya replied.

"So lame. Like his daughters will be ruined by the sight of us." Shisui grumbled, but he secured his mask regardless of his complaints.

They walked silently to the large front door, Sasuke rapped lightly several times. The door was swung open by a pretty, middle aged woman. Her dark red hair flowed widely as she smiled at them.

"Please come in. My husband has been expecting you. He is in the den." She led them to a large office just to the side of the entry way. She gracefully motioned them into the room, then she shut the dark wood door.

The three males turned their attention to the large desk, where Kizashi Haruno sat reading over a stack of papers.

"Thank you for coming gentlemen, I'll get to the point. I need you three to protect me and my family for the next two weeks, until this deal of mine is complete. I do not fully trust the man I'm doing business with," He handed Sasuke a folder, "In there you'll find his photo as well as his… shall we call them henchmen. I've tried to make my house as safe as possible and it's highly unlikely that this man even knows where we live, but I've dismissed every member of my household staff, much to my wife's chagrin." He chuckled softly, then moved to the window behind the desk.

"I worry mainly for my daughters. They would be easy targets if this deal goes south. You are to protect them at all costs. They must not leave this property unless you are present. You will be with them constantly, through their lessons and meals. I've set up a room for each of you, one in each wing of the house close to my daughters' rooms."

He turned slowly to them. His dark green eyes missed nothing, they were oddly sharp for a civilian. "My girls are very important. They are pure and innocent. They must not waste their time on silly crushes, so you will at no point remove your masks around them. Do I make myself clear?"

"We understand sir. And I guarantee my team will follow orders." Sasuke calmly replied. His deep voice left no room for doubt.

"Excellent. Kohnona shinobi have always been top notch. Yes, indeed." Mr. Haruno moved to the door, "Come, I'll show you around."

They toured the house, the three shinobi taking in each detail, every entry and exit way. They arrived at a large open room that had three doors opened to long hallways.

Mr. Haruno pointed to the far left one, announcing that as the master suite.

"The door to the right leads to three bedrooms. One for one of you, one is my oldest daughters and the third is my youngest's room. This door here leads to the twins' room. There is a spare down there for the second of you gentlemen."

"And your fifth daughter's quadrotors are where, sir?" Sasuke asked.

"She has a room in the attic, clear across the house. I'd like the strongest of you three to stay with her. You'll understand why when you see her room."

The four made their way across the large home, the silence was odd, Sasuke thought with five girls here it would be nonstop noise.

It took them exactly three minutes to reach a dark red door. Mr. Haruno opened it to reveal s stair case. They climbed the creaking stairs to the top. Sasuke was glad for the mask when they reached the room, he felt he was unable to hide his surprise.

The room was enormous. Dark wood floors lead to very light gray walls. The dark furniture looked expensive in a rustic way. A king bed covered in soft, white fabric was placed against the center wall. Sasuke doubted it could be called a wall though, he fully understood Mr. Haruno's concern now. The whole west side of the room was glass, one huge window-wall. And Sasuke counted four sky lights.

A desk was stationed in front of the windows, a full book case filled the gap of wall at the top pf the stairs.

There was a door that led to a large bathroom on the east side of the room. That room too, had a sky light and a large glass wall to the south next to the tub. The room was undeniably beautiful, but would clearly be a problem if an enemy attacked.

"When we first moved here this whole space was a disaster. My cherry blossom did all this herself." The pride in his voice was obvious.

"I will make certain that nothing happens to her or her hard work in this room." Sasuke promised.

Mr. Haruno smiled broadly. "Fantastic. Now, let's go meet the girls."

They made their way to a set of double doors. Mr. Haruno pushed them open. The four men walked into a large library. Five desks were placed facing floor to ceiling windows.

"Ladies, please come meet the Kohnona Shinobi."

Simultaneously four heads turned from the work at their desks. They each stood and moved with practiced poise to stand side by side facing Sasukes' team.

"This little one is Hanan, she just turned six. These two are my twins, Akiko and Akane, they are thirteen. This is my eldest, Karin."

"Gentlemen." Karin spoke in an almost purr. She adjusted her black glasses in a way Sasuke immediately disliked.

Each girl looked similar. They all had dark red hair, much like their mothers, the youngest had much lighter hair though. Their eyes were their mothers as well, all various shades of red.

The twins turned to each other and giggled a 'hello'. The eldest, Karin, continued to eye the men. The youngest stepped forward to bow with as much grace as her stubby legs could muster.

"Thank you for coming." She spoke softly.

"You are very welcome." Shisui said. This received more giggles from the twins.

The three males passed uneasy glances to each other through their masks. They knew those giggles. Naruto had dubbed them 'fan girl giggles'.

"Where is your sister?" Mr. Haruno asked firmly.

The giggles ceased, the twins and Karin turned smug.

"She went out, daddy." Akane said.

"Into the forest." Akiko added.

Karin rolled her eyes, she mumbled "Where she belongs." Which received more giggles and a glare from the youngest sister.

"She promised not to leave our land, daddy." Hanan said, "She told me to tell you not to worry."

"Hmm." Mr. Haruno growled. "She better be here before dinner." He turned to leave. "I suggest everyone get ready. Dinner is in half an hour."

Forty-five minutes later the Haruno's were seated at a long table in the dining room. The girls were all seated by age on one side of the table. All but one. The second eldest daughter was still absent.

"That girl." Mr. Haruno mumbled, but the three shinobi that were seated in a row across the girls detected warmth in his voice.

"Too bad you three can't join us eating now." Karin said.

"Yeah, too bad." The twins coursed in unison.

"They are payed to not remove the masks, girls. You know how your father is." Mebuki Haruno said around a large glass of wine. "They can eat as soon as we are finished."

The meal commenced with the girls chatting loudly about one thing or another. The youngest hardly spoke while Karin only made snide comments. Sasuke was oddly sickened by this. His parents wanted him to choose a bride amongst these idiots. None met his standards.

The dinner was interrupted when the double oak doors sung open. The three Shinobi tensed, until the youngest girl jumped up and ran to the cloaked figure.

"You're here! I missed you!" Hanan yelled happily. The cloaked person gave off a musical laugh, then reached up to pull her hood down.

Sasuke was stunned. Clearly this was the missing daughter, but she looked nothing like her sisters. She was gorgeous. Her pink hair fell out to her shoulder blades, her bright green eyes seemed to shine and the smile she was giving her youngest sister was unrivaled by any he'd ever seen.

"I see I'm a little late, please forgive me. The snow was falling heavier than I expected." To exaggerate her point, she shook her snow covered cloak off. She was dressed in form fitting black pants with a tight black top and a red jacket. Ninja gear, Sasuke noted, though he detected no Chakra in her system.

She moved to the remaining seat at the table, her green eyes carefully took in Sasuke's team.

"You, gentlemen, must be our glorified babysitters. I'm Sakura." She glanced at her sisters. "The other Haruno girl."

The three Shinobi nodded to her. Sasuke chose not to speak, lest his voice betray him. He could tell she was different than her sisters. Throughout the meal she sat silently, listening to the twin's blabber on. She held herself still, totally tensed when Karin made her remarks.

"So, Sakura, what have you been up to out there in the wilderness?" Mrs. Haruno said a little too loudly, she was presently pouring her third glass of wine.

"Well clearly I've been meeting up with someone." Sakura replied.

Her sisters stopped eating. Sasuke would never admit it out loud, but his whole body tensed with jealousy.

"A future husband!" Mrs. Haruno shouted excitedly. "Thank heaven! When is he going to propose?"

"It may be a while, mother. He doesn't work much, or at all actually. But you'll love his place. Really… earthy. It's a decent size cave, all things considered. He is pretty top notch for his kind. I believe the political term is a Hobo."

The three younger girls burst out laughing. Karin roller her dark eyes.

Mrs. Haruno was not amused. She glared at Sakura. "Fine. Make jokes. But as a mother of five girls, I worry about marrying you all off. So just keep joking Sakura, and hope your jokes will land you a husband."

"Sakura doesn't need a husband, besides, what man would be good enough?" Mr. Haruno smiled broadly. His wife downed the rest of her wine.

When dinner was finished Karin stood first, loudly pushing her chair back. The twins followed.

"Ladies, please come clear your dishes." Their mother called.

"What!" they spun around.

"We never do that!" Akane shrieked.

"That's what servants are for." Karin hissed out.

"Mother, I'll see to it." Sakura spoke up. She gave her sisters a look that dared them to say more. The three quickly left. Their mother stood, claiming she would finish her wine in her study. Mr. Haruno had made himself scarce after thanking Sakura.

"I'll get your meals; I think you've waited long enough." Sakura spoke to the three males.

"I'll clear the dishes Saka!" Hanan announced proudly.

"Thank you." Sakura beamed at her little sister then moved to the kitchen.

Shisui surprised them all when he stood and began helping the youngest Haruno. The little girl stared wide eyed.

"A lady shouldn't have to do all the work alone." He told Hanan. The young girl blushed, managing to mumble out a 'Thank you, sir'. Being raised properly, Sasuke and Neji stood too, helping with the task. Sasuke placed the last cup on the silver cart when Sakura came back to the dining room. She paused to survey the scene.

"They helped me, Saka! They told me a lady needs help sometimes." Hanan said, she glanced shyly at her sister for approval.

"Ah, yes." Sakura smiled. "I told you there were real gentlemen out there." Giving her sister a wink. She pushed another cart with food to the table. She carefully placed the meals down.

"Enjoy. When you're finished… well you can commence with your babysitting I guess." Sakura laughed softly, giving them all an apologetic smile. She held out her hand to her youngest sister, who happily skipped over, latching on.

They left, talking about going to the library. Shisui was proud that he waited until the doors closed before he let out a whistle. He whipped his Anbu mask off.

"Damn. That girl is FINE!" He wiggled his eye brows at his teammates.

"Must you be vulgar?" Neji asked as he removed his mask.

"Don't deny you didn't check her out. "Shisui laughed when a small blushed graced the tips of Neji's ears.

"Don't worry I won't tell Ten Ten." Neji glared, but turned to his meal without speaking.

"Little cousin. Imagine how thrilled the family would be if you brought that piece home!" Sasuke glared at Shishu.

"You will not speak in such terms about her, got it?" His voice was angry enough that both other Shinobi stopped to look at their captain. They eyed each other, then turned back to their meals. Shisui decided he'd tease his cousin later.

Their meal passed quickly, once they were cleaned up they made their way to the library, masks in place they pushed open the doors. The soft giggles ceased immediately. The twins were huddled over a magazine. Karin was seated in the only soft arm chair, one leg draped over the side. Sakura had perched herself in a tall window sill, while Hanan was leaning against the wall below Sakura.

"So, any of you single?" Karin purred, but even with their masks on she seemed to have chosen Sasuke. She eyed him over her glasses.

"Would it matter if they were? You know they can't remove the masks. Back off Karin." Sakura saved the three males from having to respond.

"What the hell are you two laughing about?" Karin snapped at the twins.

"Nothing Karin." Akiko stuck her tongue out at the elder girl. But they continued to giggle.

"Seriously, dumb and dumber, you two had better shut up." Karin snapped. The girls stopped, they quickly glanced towards Sakura who was immersed in her large book.

"We were only discussing what their voices sound like." Akiko pouted.

"Remember that man that came to fix the roof, he had the nicest voice ever!" Akane swooned.

Karin's smile turned devious, she lifted herself from the chair, she moved up to Sasuke, giving him her best smile.

"They have a point. Tell me, what's your name?" Sasuke's entire body was tense. This girl was bold; he'd give her credit but she reeked of mistrust. He was about to tell her to move when Sakura spoke up.

"They cannot speak to us either. So the three of you can stop this nonsense."

"But they talked before!" Akiko stated.

"And what was your reaction?" Sakura gave them a knowing look. The twins blushed. "That's what I thought. Father told them not to speak after that." Her voice rang with an authority that her other sisters clearly respected. The three moved back to their activities. The men glanced to Sakura, she winked, while Hanan giggled up at Sakura.

Sasuke caught those deep green eyes through the small slits in his mask. His heart pounded, but he gave her a curt nod in thanks.

An hour later, Sakura announced that it was bedtime when she noticed Hanan nodding off over her book. She scooped the youngest Haruno up and carried her to her room. The twins headed to theirs, while Karin hung back.

"So which one of you is coming to my corridors?" She had eyes glued to Sasuke. Said man motioned Neji, who silently stepped forward and headed after Sakura and Hanan. Shisui took his signal to follow the twins. Then Sasuke made an obvious turn towards the wing where Sakura's room was.

He smirked when he heard Karin's irritated sigh. As Sasuke waited at the bottom of the stairs to Sakura's room, he realized that there wasn't a room on this wing with for him.

Both Neji and Shisui had their own rooms near their charges. Sasuke's mind rapidly processed all the possibilities. And just as his blood began to warm at certain thoughts, Sakura came down the hall.

"Sorry that took so long. Hanan couldn't stop talking about the 'strong ninja's here to protect us'." She laughed softly. "Shall we?" Sakura moved gracefully up the stairs. At the top she paused, slowly she turned to Sasuke.

"I'm sorry that your teammates get their own room. This couch is all that's here." She pointed to the overstuffed couch that was against the wall of the stairs.

"Hn. I've slept on far worse." He placed his pack against a giant book shelf next to the couch then stiffly sat down.

"I'll just be a bit, then you are welcome to use the bathroom." She smiled when he nodded. He watched her walk away, then chided himself. She couldn't be very old. She moved, spoke and physically looked like a woman, but Sasuke doubted she was anywhere near his age.

When she emerged from the bathroom, she was dressed in a white, silk night gown, that reached just above her knees. Her small, dainty toes curled on the cold wood floor. The dress had a deep scoop which revealed her full, perfect breasts as soft half-moons. The fabric was just barely thick enough to not be see-through.

Sakura made a gestor with her arms across her flat stomach that indicated she was uncomfortable. "You're free to use the bathroom." She barely whispered.

Mildly ashamed that he'd made her uneasy, he moved into the large bathroom to splash cold water on his face. When he emerged the room was dark, save for the moonlight streaming through the windows. Sakura had made up the couch for him with silk sheets, large pillows and an expensive quilt.

"Hope it's ok." Sakura said as she watched Sasuke eye the couch.

"Hn." He nodded to her.

"Will you sleep with your mask on?"

"Hai." Sasuke smoothly moved onto the couch.

"Sorry." Sasuke swiftly looked at her. She was beautiful. Her pink hair tumbled down her right shoulder, her emerald eyes were large and somehow innocent.

"It's better this way." He said. Her green eyes turned uncertain, but she didn't press the matter.

Sakura rested quietly for a while before she asked softly, "Can you tell me your name?" The room was still as she waited.

"Sasuke."

"Hmm. Sasuke." The male tried to ignore the way his body warmed when she tried out his name.

"Good night, Sasuke."

Shit. His body heated up ten-fold at her whisper. "Good night…. Sakura."

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Thank you for reading. Please review, much appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

Here is chapter three! Please Enjoy, granted, this one is much shorter than the last, enjoy regardless.

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The next few days were uneventful to all but Sasuke and Sakura. The two were hyper sensitive to one another. Every look and every small brush of fingers was electrified. They started to long for night. At night they talked.

Sakura had done most of the talking, but Sasuke readily supplied answers when she asked about his home. He told her that Shisui was his cousin, which she found amusing. He told her about his brother and loud, idiot best friend. When she asked about his parents he surprised them both by going into great detail about always needing to impress his father and having a huge soft spot for his mother.

Sakura responded in kind. She explained that her mother had begun drinking after Sakura had turned down two marriage proposals and the eldest, Karin, had received none. She admitted that she, for whatever reason had always been her father's favorite, which caused a large amount of tension between all the sisters. Though, Sakura admitted that she did not care. She did not particularly like the twins and she nearly despised Karin; the three were all spoiled, selfish and they treated Hanan horribly.

Sasuke was struck by the protective love Sakura showed the youngest Haruno girl. He respected the way that Sakura cared for Hanan. His respect for her as a person grew each night, too. He learned that Sakura was by far more intelligent than any woman he'd met. She read medical books by the dozen and she admitted she longed to know medical jutsu, but could not because her family were civilians.

"That's why I sneak to the woods." Sakura announced on the fifth night of their talks. She was leaning on her rustic wood head board, looking out the windows behind the bed. Sasuke remained silent, leaning against Sakura's desk a few feet from her.

"I…I heal animals." She whispered. Sasuke carefully studied her through his mask.

"By heal, you mean what?" His deep voice was not judgmental so the younger girl continued.

"With Chakra." Green eyes locked on the mask.

"I thought you had a signature. You hide it well." Sasuke moved up to her, he stood at the side of the bed and motioned her forward. Sakura adjusted herself to sit on the edge, his long legs moved to trap hers gently.

"Hold still." Sasuke whispered, his fingers softly gripped her chin. He lifted her head until her green eyes looked in the small slits in his mask. She gasped when she noticed the glowing red. Moments later the red was replaced by the deep onyx that Sakura had gotten so used to.

"You have great Chakra control. With the proper teacher you could hone that into becoming a mednin." Sasuke stated. He was still holding her chin. His thumb unconsciously rubbed her plump lower lip.

"It won't happen. Not while I'm stuck in this house." Sakura whispered. She closed her eyes, leaning into his hand.

Sasuke's heart was pounding. His mind told him to pull away; she's only eighteen! But his body stayed put. A soft smile curved on her lips and Sasuke lost control.

"Hold still." He repeated. He felt Sakura tense up, but she kept her eyes closed. Sasuke pushed his mask to the side of his head, then slowly leaned down to her. He paused, their lips barely touching.

"Sasuke." Sakura breathed his name, pleading.

He held back a groan and pressed their lips together. Nothing had ever felt so good in his life. Sakura was soft and giving, allowing him to explore her sweet mouth. And when she shyly touched her tongue to his, he did groan.

They fell back on the soft comforter, the kiss intensified when Sasuke's hands began to roam. They lightly skimmed her whole body and Sasuke briefly registered how petite she was. Sakura's hands slid over his broad shoulders up to his hair, where they caught his mask.

She released a gasp, fully realizing what was happening. Sasuke, too, was pulled back to reality. Quickly he slid his mask back on with a curse, leaning up on his elbows to stare at Sakura.

"You can open your eyes." His voice was husky.

"I don't want to. I'll see the mask. I'm sick of it." Her eyes slowly opened to reveal dark emerald. "I want to see the man who makes me feel like this." She reached for his hand and pressed it over her left breast.

Sasuke's throat ran dry. His heart was pounding just as hard as hers and he longed to kiss her again.

"I'm sorry. This was unprofessional of me." He pulled back roughly, making his way to the couch where he turned his back to Sakura.

Sakura swallowed the onslaught of emotions. She knew it had been wrong, she didn't even know what he looked like, but she was incredibly drawn to him. She tried to relax, but was unable to. She moved to stand next to her desk, green eyes stared at the large forest below.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there until she felt Sasuke moved silently behind her. They stood, not touching, but close enough to feel heat radiating from one another.

"I want to leave here." Sakura finally said. "This home is so sheltered. It makes me feel small." She pressed her slim hand to the glass. "But the only way I'll leave is if I marry someone. And the only way I'll marry someone is if my parents approve. Which they won't unless he meets their ridiculous standards. So the irony is… I'll always be sheltered." She released a bitter laugh.

Sakura spun around quickly, pressing herself to Sasuke's front accidentally. She blushed, "I'm sorry about the kiss."

She walked to her bed, crawled in and buried herself in. She heard Sasuke slip back to the couch. Silently. Sakura closed her eyes when the tears threatened to leak out.

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Thanks for reading! Next chapter to come soon!

-DarkBlossom


	4. Chapter 4

Hi-ya! Here is the fourth chapter of Behind the Mask, please enjoy!

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"Can I pick out a treat, Sakura?" Hanan smiled up to her sister.

"Perhaps." Sakura winked.

"I don't recall this being such a long walk. It's barbaric that we must do this in the dead of winter." Karin stated.

"People do this every day, Karin. It's life." Sakura's monotone voice said.

All five sisters, along with their ninja escorts were traveling along the path that led to the town a few miles from their home. Their mother had asked them to retrieve a list of groceries, which under normal circumstances their hired help would be doing, but Sakura was grateful for the chance to venture out of the house.

She glanced at Sasuke, who was walking to the right of the sisters. They had not spoken since their kiss two nights ago. They had walked on eggshells around each other since. Sakura buried her feelings about the whole situation; she decided not to dwell on something that would never happen again.

"Do you think we'll meet any cute boys?" Akane giggled.

"We are going to the market; whom do you think we'll meet?" Karin hissed out, clearly annoyed at the twins.

"Sakura met a man that proposed to her once when we went to town." Akiko defended her twin.

"Yes, and clearly that worked out. Tell me Sakura, are you living happily ever after?" Karin's sneer was vicious.

"Tell me Karin, at age 20, you've had how many suitors ask for your hand in marriage?" Emerald eyes challenged her older sister, daring her to continue.

"Now." Sakura continued when Karin stayed silent, "Let's enjoy our trip." Her and Hanan led the way to town. Hanan babbled excitedly while Sakura smiled, ignoring the rest of the group.

They decided to split the shopping list. Karin and the twins flounced off with Neji and Shisui trailing them. Sasuke followed Sakura and Hanan towards the produce. They spent several minutes searching through the vegetables before they were interrupted.

"What are such lovely ladies doing shopping through that." The man who indicated to the produce was tall and well-groomed to the point of being pretty.

"Buying veggies, of course." Hanan eyed the man suspiciously.

"Hmm. Wouldn't you prefer to have someone else shop and cook for you? Preferably under candle light?" The man winked at Sakura.

"What a coincident, that is exactly my plan with my husband tonight." Sakura smiled sweetly.

"Your husband?" The man blanched.

"Mm." Sakura hummed as she reached for Sasuke who was behind her. Sasuke surprised them both when he stepped up and placed her arm possessively around Sakura's waist. The man was clearly flustered but he managed out an insult.

"Cool mask, man." His sneer was lopsided and made his nose look pointed.

Sakura felt Sasuke stiffen. "You don't want to see what is under it." Sakura stated.

The man seemed unconvinced until he looked at Sasuke again. He released a sharp gasp then mumbled something and quickly left.

"That's so neat that your eyes turn red!" Hanan couldn't contain her fascination.

"It's my families' trait." Sasuke explained. The rest of their shopping trip Sasuke answered all of Hanan's questions.

Sakura loved that Sasuke showed her overly excited sister one hundred percent patience. He never once became cross if Hanan asked a personal question or needed something explained.

Sakura smiled, she loved his voice and his tall, strong frame, his unruly black hair. Sakura stopped. She loved him. A man she'd only known a week, but knew almost everything about from their nightly talks. A man she'd never even fully seen, but was hyper aware of his voice, smell, the heat radiating from him.

She loved him.

Sakura swallowed back her tears, looked up and caught Sasuke staring at her. She longed to see his eyes at that moment. Her thoughts were interrupted when her other sisters noisily approached them.

Sakura was silent the rest of the way home. She spoke only when necessary during dinner, then took up her window seat in the library the remainder of the evening.

"Sakura, will you read to me tonight?" Hanan approached her sister.

"Is it your bedtime already?" Sakura smiled, she gracefully hopped from her seat and picked up the six-year-old. None of the other sisters looked up when they passed. Sakura saw Sasuke motion Shisui to stay in the library.

Sakura ignored Sasuke's tall figure walking behind her. When they reached Hanan's room, Sakura tossed the giggling girl onto the soft bed then moved to the book shelf.

"What shall it be tonight?" Sakura smiled, already knowing the answer.

"The story about Prince Charming!" Hanan laughed.

"I never would have guessed." Sakura winked as she carried the book to the bed.

The sisters curled up together while Sakura read animatedly. Sasuke leaned against the closed door watching every expression Sakura made. He found that he wanted to chuckle or smirk when the pink haired woman was extra animated.

She truly was beautiful, Sasuke decided as the story concluded with a kiss.

Sakura stood to tuck Hanan in, but paused when she saw the frown in her younger sister's face. She waited patiently for Hanan to talk.

"I don't think I like the prince story anymore."

"Why not?" Sakura sat on the edge of the bed.

"Because, I always pictured you being like the princess and you need to marry someone strong and handsome. And…and that guy that came to marry you before, he was horrible!" Hanan crossed her stubby arms. "I don't care if he was a prince. I'm so glad you didn't marry him, Saka."

Sakura laughed, "So am I."

"Do you think there is a handsome man out there who will marry you?" Hanan whispered, her red eyes glanced at Sasuke who was still leaning against her door.

"I honestly don't know. I hope I meet someone who'll love me. Because that's what is important, Hanan. A man who loves you for you." Sakura stood, finished tucking in her sister then turned to look directly at Sasuke.

"Never say yes to a man unless you are certain he is the One." Sakura glanced back to her sister, "Ok, Hanan?"

"Ok." The young girl replied sleepily.

After a quick kiss on Hanan's head, Sakura walked past Sasuke, straight to her room where she ran a hot bath.

The moon was full when she emerged from the bathroom. Sasuke was seated on the sofa, arms on his knees, fingers laced in front of his mouth. Sakura didn't look at him. She moved to her desk to read her latest medical book.

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Sasuke sighed. Sakura had fallen asleep at her desk. Silently, he walked up to her, watching her even in takes of breaths.

As gently as possible he picked Sakura up, she melted into his embrace almost perfectly. He stood with her before her bed for several minutes. Sasuke, who was usually against any type of physical contact, could not seem to put Sakura down.

He slowly lowered her down, tucked her slender legs under the comforter then pulled the quilt up. He froze when she mumbled his name. He studied her, making sure she was asleep then pulled his mask off.

His fingers ran along the side of her smooth face until they reached her perfect lips. Sasuke didn't know what he was doing, but he couldn't stop himself. He leaned down to kiss her full lips. She moaned in her sleep, and Sasuke groaned, pulling away.

'Damn it all.' Sasuke berated himself. He shouldn't be kissing this young girl for several different reasons; including the most important which was his job. But screw it, he wanted her. Sasuke wasn't stupid, he knew he was falling for her. He'd known since the moment he first saw her.

Pulling away quickly, he retreated to the sofa. He needed to get a grip on reality. And Sakura could not be a part of that.

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Thank you for reading, please review! The next chapter will be posted shortly, I promise.

-DarkBlossom


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry for the wait, but here is chapter 5. Enjoy!

 **WARNING** : This is the chapter with the Lemon and the reason for the rating of this story!

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Two nights later Sasuke found himself alone in the library with Sakura. The rest of the house had gone to bed, but Sakura insisted on staying up to read. Which suited Sasuke, who'd been an insomniac most of his life.

"I can't stand it any longer." Sakura slammed her book shut. "I need to go outside. Please, Sasuke." Her deep green eyes pleaded with him.

Sasuke swallowed around the lump in his throat. Fresh air might be a good idea, he thought.

With a curt nod of consent from him, Sakura smiled beautifully. She headed to the front door, slipped on her long, red cloak and carefully opened the door. Sasuke watched her walk down the steps as he pulled his cloak on, she reached the bottom and turned to look at him; her eyes were shinning.

Sasuke quietly pulled the door closed, following a few feet behind Sakura as she walked through the densely wooded forest.

They stopped at a small creek that was frozen over. Sakura settled on a large rock, wrapping her cloak around her legs. Sasuke remained standing, eyes scanning the open area.

Silence filled the night. Sakura stared at the sky. Sasuke stared at Sakura. He tried several times to force his head away, but his eyes returned to the young woman each time.

Suddenly, she turned to look at him. Neither spoke, neither looked away. Sakura couldn't see his eyes, but she felt the longing there. She knew it wasn't just on her part.

"Sasuke." Her whispered plea was all he needed, in three long strides he was in front of her.

"Close your eyes." She did as his raspy voice asked.

Sasuke wasted no time pulling his mask off and kissing her waiting lips. Everything about this kiss was passionate. Sasuke lifted Sakura up, their tongues battling, he carried her a few steps until her back was pressed against a tree.

Sakura's hands roamed from his thick hair down to his solid chest. Sasuke groaned, pushing her harder against the tree, his right hand toying with the hem of her top inside her cloak.

With one swift move he slid his hand up to cup her soft breast. Sakura pulled from the kiss with a gasp.

"Not here. Please…my room." She panted out.

Sasuke growled, pulling his hand back. He gripped her under butt, lifted her tightly to him and whispered "Hold on." He transported them back to Sakura's room.

"Don't move. Keep them closed." He gently touched her long eye lases.

She heard him move to her closet the return. She let out a breath of air when she felt him place soft material over her eyes and knot it behind her head.

"It's the only way." He said as an apology.

Sakura smiled, "I know." She slid her cloak off, walking backwards a few steps to her bed.

Sasuke moved after her, pulling his cloak and shirt off. He stopped in front of her, gently running his fingers along her sides until he reached the hem of her top. Swiftly he pulled it over her head, then skimmed his fingers along her flat stomach to her smooth back.

Sasuke leaned down to kiss her as he unhooked her bra, they both let it fall down her arms, then he pulled her against his bare chest.

Sakura let out a small moan, her fingers explored his well-defined chest and abs. She longed to see what her fingers were discovering, but found that her sense of feel was just as sexual.

Without breaking their kiss, they removed the rest of their clothing. Sasuke gently lifted Sakura to the center of her bed where he leaned over her. His fingers found her center, he groaned when he realized how wet she was for him.

"Are you certain you want this?" He hoarsely whispered.

"Positive Sasuke." She smiled, pulling him down to kiss her. She wrapped her right leg around him for further encouragement. With a growl, Sasuke fully pushed into her.

His eyes shut, his breath was ripped from his lungs. He felt nothing but immense pleasure. After a moment he opened his eyes to look down at Sakura. She was biting her lip, cheeks fully stained pink.

'Beautiful.' He thought. "I'm sorry." He said.

"Don't be. I'm not." Sakura adjusted her hips, making Sasuke hiss, gripping her legs.

"I want you to move, Sasuke." She smiled.

Sasuke pressed his forehead to hers and did as she asked. They moved together until they reached that blissful moment.

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Hours later, they were laying with Sakura resting partially on Sasuke's chest, her blindfold still in place.

"Can I…can I touch your face?"

Sasuke smirked, pulling her hand to his cheek. Softly Sakura explore what she'd never seen. His jaw was well-defined, smooth lips, she even skimmed along his soft eye lashes.

"I picture you as incredibly handsome." She laughed quietly.

"That's what they tell me."

"A joke! Well you do have a sense of humor after all." Sakura playfully nudged his side.

Sasuke released a grunt, pulling the younger woman on top of himself. They were silent for a long while before Sasuke said, "You are very beautiful, Sakura."

Sakura choked back a sob. She longed to tell him that she loved him, but she knew he'd be leaving in a few days and she doubted she'd ever see him again.

Instead of replying she lifted herself up and slowly lowered down on his hard manhood, trying to express everything she felt through her movements.

She didn't know if he understood.

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The next three days passed far too quickly, Sakura thought as she stood looking out the large windows of her room. Sasuke was in the shower, preparing for his journey home.

He was leaving. She shouldn't have been so hurt by that, she'd known all along, yet she felt a crushing weight on her chest each time she thought about saying goodbye.

Hanan had asked about that yesterday. They had all decided to venture outside for a bit. After on hour Karin and the twins headed back inside with Neji following. Shisui stayed out with Sasuke.

"Are you going to miss us?" Hanan asked as the eldest Ninja swung her with one arm over a pile of snow.

"Well of course we will. Though, only you and Sakura." Shisui put a finger to his lips, "But don't tell your other sisters that."

Hanan giggled, running to Sasuke with the same question.

"Hai." He nodded down to her, then looked towards Sakura who was a few feet away, next the small creek.

Shisui swooped Hanan up to his broad shoulders, giving his cousin a knowing look behind his mask.

"Who do you think Sasuke will miss the most, Hanan?" Shisui teased.

The young girl smiled, "Sakura, of course." She said proudly.

"Yes, I agree." Shisui moved in Sasuke's line of vision, "And, I think Sasuke is going to be miserable when he leaves."

Sasuke glared, about to move away until Hanan spoke. "Sakura will be too, I think." She said sadly.

"Sakura will be what?" Said girl walked over to the three.

"Hn. Nothing." Sasuke said firmly.

"I said you'll be sad when the ninja leave." Hanan smiled.

Sakura looked up at her sister, who was still perched on Shisui's shoulders.

"Will you miss them?" Sakura avoided looking at Sasuke when she turned the question back around to her younger sister.

"Yes! It's like having a big brother finally!" Hanan hugged Shisui's head. "Did you want a big brother ever, Sakura?"

Sakura laughed, "Sure." She replied easily.

"Hopefully Sakura doesn't think of Sasuke like a brother. Might make things a little awkward." Shisui laughed when Sakura blushed and Sasuke threw a snowball his way.

Sakura smiled, now, as she remembered Shisui teasing Sasuke the rest of the walk back to the house. Her smile turned sad as she leaned her head against the cold glass window.

The bathroom door opened to reveal Sasuke, dressed only in his pants and mask. The sight of his bare torso made her stomach dip. Sakura had lost count how many times they'd made love since that first time, three nights ago.

Sakura now knew every inch of his strong frame, all but his face. Which was suddenly so heartbreaking, she wanted to laugh.

"Tell me." Sasuke walked up to her, wrapping his arms around her. He seemed to read her every expression now.

"I was just thinking about yesterday." She explained.

"You never answered your sister's question." He replied.

"I think the answer is obvious, Sasuke." Sakura pushed away from his grasp, walking to her closet. She pulled on a black tunic dress, then slipped on black knee high socks and tall boots. She looked up to see Sasuke watching her.

"How do you feel about me?" He asked quietly.

Tears stung Sakura's eyes. "Why does it matter?"

"Sakura." He growled, moving to lift her chin up to him.

"You're leaving, Sasuke. Going back to your village and I'll stay here until the right man shows up to marry me, then I'll be carted off to who knows where. So why does it matter how I feel?" She hadn't realized she raised her voice until she stopped speaking.

Sasuke continued to stare, which only infuriated Sakura. Her green eyes sparked with too many emotions to name.

"Sakura." He said again. The younger woman pushed his hand away with a frustrated gasp.

"Do you want me to tell you I love you?" She stormed from her large closet. "I love you, Sasuke. I love you more than I can say! But it doesn't matter."

She sat down on the edge of her bed, defeated. "We need to forget each other."

Anger simmered inside Sasuke. "You plan to forget me?" He hissed out. "Will you forget the way I touched you? The places I've tasted you?"

He was on her so quickly, Sakura didn't have time to blink.

"Will you forget the way it feels when we are near each other? When I'm inside you?"

"I don't even know what you look like!" She finally blurted. Sakura regretted it instantly. She knew it didn't matter what he looked like, it didn't matter what his last name was. She had fallen in love with the man he was.

But her words were out and they affected Sasuke immediately. He pulled away from her, looking long and hard through his mask.

"You're right." Sasuke finally said. He walked over to his pack, pulled on the rest of his clothing and moved to the staircase.

"How can you love a man you've never seen?" He whispered just loud enough for her to hear. Sakura sat up from the bed, spinning to face the stairs, but he was gone.

She stood there for what felt like hours until she heard their heavy front door close. She ran to the window in time to see the three ninja disappear into the trees.

Sakura knelt down, her tears flowing freely, her heart shattered.

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Well there you have that chapter. Please let me know your thoughts. They are very much appreciated. Thank you!

-DarkBlossom


	6. Chapter 6

Hello there, well here is the final chapter. Thank you everyone for taking the time to review. And a personal thank you to _Chinweoa,_ I truly didn't notice that this story was not labeled under SasuSaku. So thank you, for pointing that out.

Anyway, please enjoy!

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"Will there be fish in there, Sakura?" Hanan dipped her hand into the cool water from the creek.

"No, this stream is too shallow." Sakura explained. She was seated on a large rock next to the water. Her green eyes were watching the younger girl carefully.

"Spring is my favorite time!" Hanan said excitedly as she hopped the water to get some fresh flowers.

Sakura smiled softly, a bitter, half smile. Something she did often now. Sakura looked around the forest; winter was her favorite season, but this year she was grateful for the change. The snow reminded her of Sasuke.

Three months had gone by since Sasuke had left. Sakura had never imagined that anything could be as painful as that. Her days now, seemed to drag on, but the nights were far worse.

For the first week after Sasuke's departure, Sakura had slept in Hanan's room because hers smelt so much like Sasuke. She hid her pain well from her family. Hanan was the only one who noticed, but she kept her comments quiet; she only voiced her opinion when their mother had tried to send Karin and Sakura on a double date with some family friends.

Hanan had openly said she hated Sakura's date. Which Sakura fully agreed to. Sakura couldn't imagine wanting to date anyone, though she knew the time would come.

Sakura glanced in the direction of her home; she suspected the time was coming quickly. Their father had been receiving and writing letters almost daily lately. Sakura noticed these thick, white envelopes about a week after the ninjas had left.

They stood out because they were such high quality. Sakura hadn't thought much of it at the time, her father was always receiving letters for his work. But now, her father actually retrieved the mail himself instead of sending a member of the staff.

Sakura assumed the letters involved her or Karin, she had noticed her father watched her and Karin more closely during dinner. He seemed troubled, the crease in his forehead indicated whatever he was thinking about would surely give him gray hair.

Sakura wasn't stupid. She knew a man was writing to inquire about marrying one of the two sisters. She just couldn't imagine what type of man had caught her father's attention like this.

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Three days later, their father announced the name of his mystery correspondence at dinner.

"They are an incredibly powerful and wealthy family." Sakura's stomach sank with every word that her father said.

"Well, what do they want?" Her mother was only half listening as she twirled her wine around her glass.

"Their son wishes to marry one of our daughters, dear." Mr. Haruno smiled smugly when his wife ungracefully sputtered.

The twins stood loudly from their chairs, each babbling excitedly. Karin looked triumphant.

"Who, daddy?" Akane shouted.

"Which one of us?" Akito asked, she ignored when Karin snorted.

"Obviously me. That's not even a question. I'm the eldest and by far the prettiest. The question is, who is this wealthy man?" Karin smiled proudly.

Their father cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Karin, darling, I wrote many times about you, but they were adamant that their son wishes to marry Sakura."

The room was dead still for several moments, until Karin screamed, the twins shouted question after question and their mother poured another glass of wine mumbling soft curses.

"What was your response father?" Sakura's stoic voice quieted the rest of the table.

Her father looked her right in the eyes. "I fully agreed to this union. Sakura, this is a noble family. We couldn't ask for better."

Everyone stared at Sakura, waiting for her to put up a fight like she usually did when a suitor came along.

"Very well." Sakura pushed her chair back and stood. "Please excuse me, I don't have much of an appetite." She left the room, just barely catching her mother's joyous cry and Karin's upset wails.

Sakura raced to her room, she flew to her bed and laid there, staring at the ceiling. She knew she had made the right choice. It was bound to happen. She didn't want to marry anyone when she was in love with Sasuke, but she knew that he was never coming back. She took in an unsteady breath. This is the right choice, she lied to herself.

Only when Sakura was certain, hours later, that her family was sleeping did she let her tears fall.

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"Straighten those flowers! Akane, fix your hair." Mrs. Haruno fussed around the entry hall in a near panic.

Today the family of Sakura's future husband were arriving. It had been one week since the dinner announcement and Sakura had done everything in her power to avoid any talk of the subject.

She had openly told her family she did not wish to discuss the details, which they respected. Sakura did not know a thing of her future husband; not his name or place of origin. She did not care to know. She told herself she would have plenty of time to learn all that when they were married.

The only thing she had heard was her mother gushing that this man saw her at the town market once and "fell in love" on sight.

'At least he is romantic.' Sakura had thought.

She was leaning on a chair in the large entry. She stared at her reflection in the window next to the chair. She looked pretty, she supposed, in her white summer dress and loose pink curls. Sakura had avoided the heels her mother had picked, opting for a pair of muted gray flats to match the gray cardigan she had resting on the chair.

Hanan fidgeted in her purple sun dress. Sakura gave her a reassuring smile before looking back at the glass window.

The youngest Haruno had asked Sakura countless times how she was feeling, but Sakura never had a real answer.

She supposed she should be feeling nervous, or even upset, but she honestly didn't feel anything. This was her duty and that's all there was to it.

"They're here!" Hanan shouted. Sakura stayed by the chair, not bothering to turn towards the front of her house. She listened as the door was opened and her mother gave out a healthy 'Hello, welcome.'

"My, what a beautiful home!" The woman who spoke had a musical voice that made Sakura want to smile.

"Thank you, I'm Mebuki Haruno. These are my daughters, Karin, Akane and Akito, Hanan, and this," Sakura braced herself, "Is Sakura."

Slowly she turned around; the sight that greeted her stole her breath. The four most beautiful people she'd ever seen were standing in the doorway.

"Oh, my!" The woman gasped, she walked up to Sakura. "You are absolutely stunning. My son did not give you enough credit." Sakura felt her cheeks heat up.

"Thank you, ma'am."

Before the lovely woman could respond, Sakura's father entered the room, announcing that they go into his office. All but the five sisters entered the room to the right. The doors closed firmly before the twins let out girly squeals.

"Did you see them?"

"They had to be the most handsome men I've ever seen!"

"Sakura you are so lucky!"

"Which one do you think is her fiancé?"

"Who cares, they are both gorgeous."

The twins continued to babble as Sakura moved to the dining room. She sat down in her usual chair and blankly stared at the newly set up chair across her seat.

Hanan quietly crept up to Sakura, who smiled a real smile and held her arms open. Hanan climbed to her sister's lap. They stayed silent until the rest of the sisters entered followed by their parents and the guests.

Hanan moved to her seat, eying the two young men carefully, she smiled timidly at the slightly shorter one, and received a wink back. Hanan's smile grew tenfold.

Dinner commenced smoothly, Sakura's parents seemed to get along well with the guests, though Sakura hardly heard a word. She managed to tune most of the night out. The only thing she was struggling to ignore was the man across from her.

She glanced at him just once, being careful not to make direct eye contact. He truly was gorgeous; by far the best looking man she'd ever seen. His lips curved into a soft smirk when she looked at him. Something fluttered inside her, and she quickly looked away feeling guilty. She was in love with another man.

"Sakura, perhaps you'd like to take your fiancé on a walk around the woods. We can retire to the parlor for a drink in the meantime." Mrs. Haruno suggested.

"Yes, alright." Sakura stood, pausing behind her chair. She didn't even know which of these two men she was marrying. The one who sat across from her chuckled. He stood smoothly and motioned for her to lead the way.

Blushing, Sakura briskly walked out the back door. She stopped when she reached the edge of the woods.

"I'm sorry for my rudeness during dinner." She turned to look at the tall man behind her. He tilted his head. Sakura's stomach flipped, her heart pounded and her nerves took over.

"I'm just new to this. Oh! I mean you are too, I think. I don't know. I…"

"Sakura."

A choked gasp escaped Sakura, her whole body froze, tears brimmed her eyes. She knew that voice. She _KNEW_ that voice.

"Sasuke?" He smirked, his onyx eyes looked deeply into her emerald ones.

As if in a daze, Sakura walked up to him, her fingers shook as she grazed them along his chest up to his face. Her eyes finally took in what had been hidden her all those weeks ago.

"Sasuke." She whispered again.

Sasuke smirked, he leaned his forehead against her. They stared at one another for a long period of time. Neither wanted to break the contact, but Sasuke needed to taste her. Acting on his longing he pulled her into a desperate kiss. Their hands roamed everywhere, Sasuke held her tightly.

"How?" Sakura managed to ask when they pulled back slightly. "Is this real?" She ran her fingers through his hair.

"My apologies that this took so long. I wanted to return to you immediately, but writing letters is a tedious task." Sasuke smirked.

"You had this planned since you left, didn't you?" Sakura pulled away completely, looking hurt. "Why didn't you tell me? I was miserable for months!"

Anger bubbled inside her. "I was so lost; I was going to marry a total stranger!" She gestured her arms in a wide motion at him.

"I know." Sasuke took a breath. "I wanted to tell you, but I chose not to in case your father didn't approve."

Sakura crossed her arms.

"You and I both know I needed to approach your father alone. He needed to give his consent, or we would never be together." Sasuke pulled Sakura back into his arms, his lips titled up when her eyes softened.

"You didn't tell me you came from such a prestigious family. Your name alone convinced my father." Sakura smiled.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "My families name isn't something I generally toss around."

"But you did for my sake…for my father's sake?" Her eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Hn."

Sakura laughed, pulling Sasuke down for a kiss.

"You are truly here to marry me?" Sakura whispered against his lips.

"Only if you'll accept. I won't force you."

Sakura walked a few feet away, looking over the forest. Sasuke waited patiently, taking in her beauty. After several moments she turned to face him.

"Where will we live?"

"Kohnona. In the Uchiha district. There is a large cabin a few miles from my parents' house that you can decorate to your liking." Sasuke watched her eyes light up. He smirked.

When he had left Sakura's home three months ago, he'd immediately gone to his father and demanded he gather the council. Still dressed in his Anbu gear, he told the council he had met the woman he was going to marry.

Sasuke did not let them ask questions. He told them Sakura's name, and who her parents were. He ignored the council's mumbles of approval to her family name. He continued, stating that the two would move to the abandoned cabin, which was the only place he knew that Sakura would be truly comfortable.

Then he'd clearly told them that he was going to contact Sakura's father on his own and did not want any influence to come from the council. He kept the fact that he planned to write letters as if his parents were also writing to himself, the council didn't need to know each detail.

Surprisingly, each member of the council had agreed. They had been planning to tell Sasuke he would need to marry soon anyway.

A small part of Sasuke wanted to rebel when he heard that, but looking at Sakura now, with the moon filtering through her hair, making her glow, he knew he'd made the right choice.

"I…" Sakura bit her lip. "Sasuke, I don't know how great I'll be at this whole full-time house wife thing."

Sasuke held back a chuckle, he walked up to her. "I'm positive my mother will keep you occupied. And Kohnona has an excellent hospital." He kissed her neck, but she was still stiff.

Resting their foreheads together, Sasuke took a shallow breath. "I know this is hard. I'm not an easy man. I don't speak…usually. I train obsessively and missions are my top priority when I get them. But I swear to you Sakura," He lifted her head up, "I will always be there for you. You will be the most important person in my life."

Smiling the most gorgeous smile he'd ever seen, Sakura laced her fingers through his hair.

"I love you, Sasuke."

Taking that as a yes, Sasuke pulled out a small velvet box, opening it to reveal a delicate, solitaire ring. He slipped it on her finger, then gently tilted her chin up to meet him for a kiss, one that he had thought about since the day he met her.

"Love you too, Sakura."

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Well, finished finally. Please let me know your thoughts on the story. Thank you for reading!

-DarkBlossom


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